So what were the Marines doing inside the Senate?
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) clarified on Wednesday night, May 13, that the presence of the Marine commandos inside the Senate premises was based on the request of the Office of the Sergeant-At-Arms (OSAA).
OSAA is in charge of securing the Senate and based on the statement issued by the AFP after the incident that happened inside the establishment, the soldiers’ presence was requested to help secure the establishment.
“The soldiers seen inside the building were called by the OSAA to assist them in securing the facility,” the statement read.
And those soldiers, according to the AFP, are members of the Marine Security & Escort Group (MSEG) personnel detailed at the Senate for perimeter security.
“The AFP maintains an institutional security detail at vital government installations, facilities, and landmarks,” the statement read.
Shots were fired inside the Senate where Sen. Ronald ‘Bato” Dela Rosa was holed up after the International Criminal Court (ICC) confirmed issuing an arrest warrant against him.
Some senators are accusing the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that its agents were the ones who fired the shots, an allegation vehemently denied by the agency chief Melvin Matibag.